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- half of the draw-head, cut on line e z, Fig. 2-

UNITED ySTATHS iPATHNr d trice. f

THOMAS GATES, OFBHLFAST, TENNESSEE,l AsSieNoH or ONHHALF To H. o. CANNONAND J. w. ADAMS,` BOTH or SAME rLAon.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 287,759, dated Octoberi0, 1883. `r

Application filed August 2:4, 1883. (No model.) I

T0 @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAs GATES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Belfast, in the county of Marshall and State of Te'n'nessee,have inv-ented certain new and useful Im"- provements in Car-Couplings;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de#'scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beingehad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures `ofreference marked thereon, which forni a part of this speciiication.

My invention relates to improvements in carcoup/lers; and it consists inthe construction, combination, and arrangement hereinafter fullydescribed, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a draw-head embodying myimprovements. Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal and transverse sections ofsame on, respectively, lines x w and y y, Fig.- 1. Fig. 4 is a plan viewof the lower and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of theYpin-support.

The draw-head A is preferably made of the upper and lower halves or'sections, A A2, as shown, suitably bolted together; but it is obviousthe draw-head may, when so desired, be

formed by castingcr otherwise in a single' piece.' It is constructedwith the flared mout-h or opening A3. Y

In the upper portion or section of the drawhead I form the mortise a,which is curved on its upper side, as shown, to permit the motion ofthepin-support,hereinafter described. This mortise a is made narrower thanthe mouth of the draw-head and the link, and the mouth is so inclinedor'iiared that the link B is directed, should it strike the upperportion of the mouth, down into the mortise a formed `in the lower halfor section, A, which mortise a is at its forward end or portion, underthe mortise a, hollowed out, as shown at a2, to receive the lower end ofthe pin-support, hereinafter described. This hollowed-out portion ormortise a2 is made of awidth equal to and directly under' the mrtise a,and of aless width than the mortise c, as most clearly shown in Figs.

3 and 4. The pin-hole A4 is formed vertically through the draw-head atapoint near the forward end of mortises a a2, and leads through the saidmortises, as shown. formed inthe bottom of the link-opening in positionto receive and guide the sidebars of -the link.

trally with the hollowed out seat d', in which rests the lower end ofthe pin when the coupler is set in the operation ofthe device. The upperportion, d2, of the support projecting above the shoulder d is providedon its forward side with jaws d d3, projecting forward from its oppositeedges slightly over the shoulder d, forming the concave or groove (1*,in which rests the pin C. This supportis pivoted near its upper end onrod E, close to the opening of Y the pin-passage into the mortise a, andthe portion of same above the pivot is made sufciently long to projectslightly under thepinopening when the support Dis pushed back in theoperation of the device. This operation is' simple, and will be readilyunderstood. Vhen the several parts are inthe position shown in Fig. 2,the coupler is set, the shoulderd of support D extending under andsupporting the pin C,.the lower rounded end of which rests inthe seat d,as will be clearly understood. Now, wheny the link B strikes the saidsupport, it forces it back, as indi cated in dotted lines. is forcedback, the upper end of the support above the pivot, being carriedforward as the support is tilted, extends slightly underthe pin-opening,and, bearing against the pin, serves, in connection'with the lowerforward Wall, as, 0f the mortise a.,

Grooves a4 a? are When the shoulder d as a guide to secure the verticaldropping of the pin C through the link B and the lower pin-opening insection A and the coupling is completed. By means of the jaws d on thesupport D the pin is steadied in its elevated position as well as guidedin its descent, as will be readily understood, and the extension of thesupport above its pivotal point aids in guiding the pin, as described.By means of the contracted or narrowed inortises a c2 the support isheld and guided in its tilting` action, and all lateral movement thereofis prevented, and it is held to the central position in the draw-headshown, where it receives squarely the action of the end of the link asthe same is forced into the draw-head, as indicated. `Vhen the pin iselevated and the link removed, the support will drop by gravity into theposition shown in Fig. 2. I prefer, however, to use the spring F,illustrated in Fig. 2, and made preferably of flat metL l, having oneend bolted or otherwise securedto the draw-head, and its other endbearing against the rear side of the support D, whereby the said supportis normally held in the position shown in Fig. 2, yet may be tiltedunder pressure of the link. By this means the support D is promptlyforced to its normal position when the link is removed, preventing saidsupport being clogged or held by back friction of the rusty adjacentwalls or by frost, as would likely occur were the gravitatiug actionwholly relied on. This spring also serves as a yielding support for thesupport D, which is thereby rendered virtually a spring-bumper for thelink forced against it. This spring also serves to hold the support frombeing jolted or swung back with the motion of the train when` the car ismoving with the coupling devices set.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupler, the combination of the lo'wer half or draw-headsection, A, having link-mortise a, and provided with mortise al, madenarrower than the mortise a', extended down therefrom midway its wallsand below the mouth of the draw-head, the upper section, A, having itsmortise A3 fiared down to mortise a', and provided with mortise a,corresponding in width to and arranged above the mortise a2, andthepin-support corresponding in width with mortises a, a2, and pivoted atits upper end in the mortise a, and provided with a pin-supportingshoulder, all arranged and operating substantially as set forth.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination, substantially as set forth, of thedraw-head having pin-opening An-nd the pin-support D, pivoted in thedraw-head, and provided with shoulder d, having a depressed seat, d','formed thereon, and constructed with jaws d3, and an extension aboveits pivotal point adapted to proj ect slightly under the pin-openingwhen the support is pushed back, substantially as described and shown,and for the purposes specified. Y

3. rlhe car coupling, substantially as described and shown, composed ofthe drawhead having pin-opening A", and provided in its lower half orsection-with the mortise ai, extended down below the mouth ofthedrawhead and the link-opening a', in which are formed the link-seats a",and having its upper half or section constructed with the mortise a,formed above and corresponding in width with the lower mortise, a2, andnarrower than the mortise c', the link-support D, made of a width equalto the mortises a a?, and constructed with shoulder d, having concavelink-seat d. and having the jaws d3 d projected forward on oppositesides of said concave seat and pivoted in the upper mortise, a', withits lower end extendcd into the mortise a2, below the mouth of thedraw-head, the spring F, secured at one end to the draw-head in rear ofthe link-support, and having its forward end bearing against the saidsupport, and the pin having its lower end rested in concave seat d', allsubstantially as described and shown, and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS GATES.

Vtnesses:

C. T. Swanson. XV. XV. VALKER.

